Shadow Lands Level 3: Blackwings

Teenage Demon-Hunters in the Shadow Lands

by Jennifer Liss

Blackwings is the final set of five stories in the Shadow Lands multi-reading-level series, for struggling or reluctant readers in middle school and high school who need more practice with commonly used vocabulary. Along with the first (Level 1) and second (Level 2) sets of stories titled Thirst and Coven, the reading level increases across the series (see below). There are fifteen stories (five stories per reading level) and are available as individual 48-page books. All three sets are also offered as Collections; a single 224-page that includes all five stories. The stories are also available as ebooks.All fifteen Shadow Lands stories feature male and female teenage characters and contemporary stories that students can relate to, including events at school, family issues, and relationships.

The Blackwings Stories

All around the city, people are getting sick, and accidents are happening. Most of us can't see what's causing the problems. The Blackwings can. They see the Shadow Demons. Gabe is a college student, the oldest demon-hunter still fighting. Alexis is a high school student who wanted to be left alone, but hunts demons as part of a team. DeAndre is the latest to realize what's going on, and it cancels the big plans he had for his life.

The Shadow Demons are attacking. They eat the life out of people. They must be stopped.

Outbreak - When the class president starts acting strangely, Alexis knows Shadow Demons are behind it. If there's one in the school, she knows more are coming. She tries to fight them alone, and it's not going well. Lexile: 360

The Play - DeAndre doesn't know anything about Shadow Demons. Gabe sees him under attack and tries to help, but when he realizes DeAndre can see them, too, he sees there's hope for Rockport. Lexile: 300

Forgotten - When Serena, who taught Gabe how to fight, comes back to town, the Blackwings are happy to have her around. Then things start to go wrong. What they discover is a new danger they will all soon face. Lexile: 380

Lost Hope - The Blackwings work as a team. Alexis and DeAndre have been fighting, but Gabe has been too busy. They know this isn't like him, but they don't know why until they hunt demons near the hospital. That's when everything goes wrong. Lexile: 340

Demon Pit - No matter how many Shadow Demons they hunt, the Blackwings know there will always be more. What if they could find out where their enemies were coming from? Could they stop the attacks? Lexile: 410

Blackwings: The CollectionShadow Lands Level 3: Blackwings is also available as The Collection, a single 240-page, 5-1/4 x 7-3/8 book, that includes all five stories. The Collection book can also be purchased as a Classroom Set (5 books). See ordering information below.

Each level exposes the reader to an additional amount of the most frequently used words in the English language. Thirst (Vampires), Coven (Witches), and Blackwings (Demon Hunters) each have a different group of main characters, and can be read independently of the other levels, although students who read all three levels may discover some interesting connections!